The Phantom's Protege
by mrsgerrybutler13
Summary: Christine feels responsible for the death of Erik so she goes back to the refubished Opera House and becomes the new Phantom. What? Someone has to take up the old habit! Rating JIC and Christine very OOC...in my opinion
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Christine, I love you..." and that was the last I saw her...before my death. She was my only living bride and she was the most precious there was. But she left me. . .to die from her murderous ways; to take my heart with her and live her 'happily ever after' with the Viscount.

The only thing I regret was to ever fall in love. I can't take back the fact I was born to an unloving mother or to have had another love in my teenage years but she committed suicide after she saw my face (she accidentally ran off the edge of the roof) or that Christine came into my life. It was the fact that I became overly obsessed with her. That's what led to my death.

Daroga was there. He saw me suffer and he cried for me. The only person I ever trusted was crying...for _me_. **_Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light..._** how true those words are. And, once again, just for Christine. Her spirit soared her gala night and right up to _Don Juan Triumphant_ but she was quite the little Aminta. She loved me but she was but a child and couldn't realize it until it was too late.

**_You've past the point of no return..._** once she kissed me, she knew, but I turned her away because of everything that was happening. Yes, the building was collapsing and the police were after me. I couldn't afford to lose my love because of _my_ actions. I lost her to another man but I know he will love her the way I could have...I may hate him but he's the only one I trust with my precious Christine...

_Christine...I love you..._


	2. Christine and Erik’s Death

**Chapter 1: Christine and Erik's Death**

(Christine's POV)

I'm a woman of nobility and like most women; I'm interested in what's happening in the news. For the past three weeks, _I've_ been the news and everyone questioning the same thing: What was your experience? It gets annoying when your fiancé is the Viscount and had all this power but does nothing for you (I've thought of divorce and it will happen later this year). I've answered the same thing to every reporter: I wish not to discuss the matter – yet they persist and I excuse them to leave.

I get the _Époque_ every week and this week has been the most devastating. Erik – my beloved Angel of Music, my Phantom – was dead. My heart shattered. My ring now glowed ever brighter even though it probably didn't but it was the only thing I had left of him and it was now my most precious item. (This ring was the ring from the book. The gold band) I started crying.

"Christine, what's..."I shook my head, covered my mouth, and took the newspaper up to my room. I tore around the room looking for scissor to clip the article for safe keeping and I finally succeeded. I knew what had to be done.

(line)

I exited the house with a blank face. Raoul was petrified seeing that and he came over to comfort me; he had seen the morning paper. I gently shoved him aside and went out to the carriage waiting for me. My fiancé, being the overly protective kind, stared out the door dumbstruck. I just sat there with my funeral gown on and my hair piece in front of my face but with a strong look ahead.

"To the Opera House," and the carriage was off.

Raoul may never know that I was forced to go with him but when Erik said to go, I didn't want to. He may have been frightened of love but he knew I loved him. I knew I loved him, too. It's a mystery that may never unfold.

I arrived to the house about 30 minutes after I began my journey to rescue Erik. How the article appeared in the paper is another unsolved mystery but that's not the point whatsoever. I slipped into my old room, still untouched since _Don Juan Triumphant_ and since it wasn't destroyed in the fire, the lock remained and my key still worked perfectly.

The mirror was replaced with another replica and my hopes were high it still worked, in terms of the walk-in to his lair. I found it to open just as easily as it had been when I first discovered the magical world of my love. It was a bit dusty from all the days it had not been operated but I managed to pull the cob webs out of the way.

What surprised me most was the boat. It was still in place where Raoul and I had left it when we left. I cried when he carried me up the stairs. Mostly because of the stress and fear that they would kill Erik but then for the sake that I left him and I was his only love. I rowed all the way across the lake and came to the grand entrance. The organ was still intact while papers covered the floor and the figures littered the shore line. My mannequin still stood in the little gap that it had always been.

I heard a familiar tune coming from his room and decided that was where he would be. Instead of finding him dead, he was still breathing but it was obvious he was on his death bed. I ran over to him and kneeled by him.

He started stroking my hair and spoke but a whisper. "It's an odd little devise, is it not?" I looked up at him with a teary face. He smiled at me and I knew I was safe for the time being. "I see you read the paper my dear protégé." I grabbed his hand like a child to her father.

"Sadly. When I heard that you had...passed, I couldn't bear it but your alive!" He shushed me quickly.

"Christine, I am dying. It's my time." He pointed to the monkey and I handed to him. It must have stopped playing while he was speaking. I lifted to him and it magically opened. I stared at it, amusing my angel and he held out a chain with my old engagement ring looped through.

"I want you to have it. As a wedding present, _Viscountess_." He made a move to put it around my head but I grabbed it from him.

"A wedding present? I never said I was to marry him, Erik"

"Who told you my name?"

"Nadir. When he came to tell me of your condition. He said it would be two weeks until...until..." I couldn't finish. I slopped down and cried on him torso while he gently sang 'Music of the Night'. "I'm not marrying Raoul. I can't...I just can't." He placed his index finger under my chin and asked a question.

"Who do you want to marry?"

"I want to marry you." He smiled but I could tell he didn't believe me.

"If you really wish to wed me, kiss me and hand me the ring." I handed him the ring and gently kissed his lips. They were cold but warm with passion. He slipped the ring onto my finger and gasped for a breath. "Christine, this will be the last time I can speak to you..."

I mouthed the word 'No,' to him. "Christine, you must understand. I'm dying and the Opera House is in need of a prima Dona. You must take the lead. I've taught you all I know. You're now my wife...and my soon-to-be widow, please do this...as a dying wish..." his eyes closed and he exhaled his final breath. I leaned down to kiss him. I swear he kissed me back and then faded into the darkness but I understood what had to be done and it was the exact opposite of his final wish.

'I must die with him.'

**A/N: No, she didn't die like suicide. You'll understand in the next chappie.**


	3. The Return of the Phantom

**Chapter 2: The Return of The Phantom...or should I say Phantom_ess_**

(Continued in Christine's Narrative)

I took a long glare at the ring that Erik had stolen from me and gave back and then I returned it to him and then he gave it to me as a final token of his gratitude. He looked so pale – paler than I had ever seen him – and his masculinity seemed to disintegrate as I watched my poor husband die. Raoul will never be the man he was or the teacher. It was decided as I kissed Erik that Raoul had never had my heart. Erik stole it from the beginning.

I took one final glance at him and found myself in a tunnel of insecurities. Three things were certain: 1) Raoul and I were never to be wed. 2) The Opera House is in need of two things and 3) I can only be one of those two. The second option would be more enjoyable and more of a respect to Erik.

* * *

I hadn't seen Raoul since I left for the Opera House. I lived down where Erik once did and his skeleton lies in the coffin he slept in. The bed, it was down there for me when I became his student. There had been a search for me and Raoul was just about hysterical. Mme. Giry came down and discovered me. She brought me down a few black dresses and new hair band. 

She also brought me down one of Erik's masks. His had shattered and he needed a new one for his death bed. Once I convinced her to hand the mask over to me, that one also became destroyed.

"Christine! That took a week to make!" I slyly smiled and she stood dumb-found.

"Madame, you said _you_ made that mask?" She nodded. "Do you think you could make me one?"

"Christine, I don't see why you would...NO!" I smiled. "Christine, you're to be the new Prima Dona and all you're worried about is who the new _Phantom_ will be?" I shook me head. "Alright, let's see your face." She took the measurements and went back up to the upper levels.

I looked over the room. I had adjusted it a bit to suit my living style. Erik loved the mirrors covered and I uncovered just a few to let me check my dresses. Mme. Giry also brought me a few riding pants and white shirts...and an outfit like Erik's except the fact it was fitted to my size. If I was to be the new phantom, I must dress like one. She also brought down the mask that I had her made. It gleamed but only a little. It was porcelain and fit right over the right side of my face...like Erik.

"Mme?" but she was already out of the room. I slipped over to one of the mirrors, the one by the room where my wedding dress once was, and saw myself. I looked absolutly ridculous due to the mask and I couldn't help but laugh. I felt like a child playing dress up...except this was who I was now. I was Mlle. le Fantome! '_I'll have to get used to that_' I mussed to myself. My curly hair kewp getting in the way of my face.I thought a ballet bun would due the trick so up went my hair and I became what I was fated to. I checked my attire once more and found out I looked rather stunning.

I figured out later that night that I had two option. 1) I'd let Raoul look for me and never find me and presume I'm dead or 2) I could tell him I'm ok and then kill him. Thinking like Erik did - and he was right most of the time - I decided what had to be done...and it's what Erik only _dreamed_ of doing. Kill the fop!


	4. Murder, She Wrote Pt I

**A/N: ok, I've decided to make this entire story based off Christine's POV. If you'd like to see some-one else's POV, leave a comment and I'll try to get them into the story. ALSO, if you have any comments on where you'd like to see this story go, please let me know b/c after this chappie, it's kinda like a free fall for the author. Thanx!**

**Chatper 3: Murder, She Wrote (Pt. I)**

I dressed in my best dress I could find for the occasion for all my dresses were black. I found a poofy one Raoul enjoyed when I wore such a dress in a shade of pink or lavendar. But now came his time and since it would be night, I'd blend right in...except for that mask: it'll glow in the moonlight and I shall sing his requiem into the streets as I walk back into my new home.

I fixed my hair into a pony tail tied with a black ribbon in honor of my great tutor who now rested with the angels - one of which my father - looking over me in this dark hour for Raoul. I almost felt bad for my childhood sweetheart butit was an apathetic moment so it really didn't matter.

Meg came down for the first time since the great fire. She ws shocked to hear soemthing move and when she saw me in a mask, she hit the ground laughing. "Christine, why the facade?"

"Meg, what are you doing down here?" My patientince was also running at a low point. She looked at me with a horrified look. It was like she didn't know me or I was the new O.G.

"I just came down to bring you the new riding pants and shirts you had mother order. She wanted me to also..." she looked around before she continued. "She wanted me to ask if you would need any new dresses since your stay will be...um..."she looked almost stupid just standing there trying to think of the word.

"Meg, my stay will be for a great while. I understand. Tell Mme. not to worry. I will be returning to Raoul's home and I will gather a few dresses there. Now, go on upstairs." She looked dumbstuck when I told her to return to the upper levels. She left with a smirk all ballerina's got when they were told to do something they didn't want to. I used to do it all the time but since I don't dance as much as I used to so I had lost my touch.

I returned to fixing my hair. Since I would be walking...or rather sneaking...around the streets, it wouldn't have to be extremly beautiful not painful so the way I had to worked to my benifit. My outfit...I still needed to find Erik's cape. I had checked the candlebras and the sleeping chamber but no sign of anything.

I decided to check the boat but still, I knew it was a silly idea, and I came up with nothing. I returned to his desk to check on the chair or for any sign. I went to sit on the bench of the grand organ and with my luck, found it. I suppose he did one last trick before they invaded his presonal house.

I dusted it off quickly to see if any damage had been caused due to the fire and to my luck, it was perfect. It seemed to be a bit heavier than I remembered but my strength never matched _le Fantomes_. I swung it on and checked my posture in the mirror. I looked quite ridiculous! I started laughing but I heard a rather loud noise that made me jump out of site and then I realized it was a familiar face. Nadir Khan, the only friend of Erik. He really supported him in that last part of life although I knew it wasn't going well due to his obsession over me (I felt rather guilty over that matter but I found it easier to put it beside me).

I hid in my little corner and observed what the gray man was doing. He looked around, as if a sign that I was there or if there was anything at all living here. I guess he wasn't satisfied. He must have known I came to take over for he left a small envelope above a package and left aburptly. Once I was certain he was gone, I went to investigate.

The letter was addressed to me so I tore into it rather quickly. It read:

_Christine,_

_I know that you're here and I'm quite glad. It was something Erik would have liked. I have come to return your diary. I know, you're probably skeptical of how it has come into my possesion. You see, when you ran away and left the Opera House to burn, your room was untouched by flames due to all of Eriks' personal passageways and the concerte served as a protective barrier, per say. Erik scanned the room and came across the small book and took it down to read it. I haven't read a single word from yourpersonal book. Erik did and it broke his heart to hear that you truely loved him. I thought you'd want to hear that. If you need anything, tell Antoinette and she will guide you to me._

_Erik loves you and always will. Never doubt it, Christine. Never..._

_Nadir_

I was about heartbroken myself after reading the note. I truely felt sorry for Erik now that he read my true thoughts about him. I loved him but I chose the easy life. Ever since my father's death, I was a perfect disaster, and true beautiful wreck. Erik was too and he loved me anyway. Raoul only knew the little Lotte; he wasn't fond of me...the real me but I found that out too late.

I unwrapped the package and sure enough, i was my small little diary. The deep blue velvet lining the cover and the book that I carried ever since my father's death. I worte when I first arrived at the Opera House and then years later when the...events occured. I didn't think I could go to anyone so I wrote it down to put it off my mind.

I placed the book gently on the organ and figured I should start to leave.


End file.
